George III's guinea and feather' apparatus

Made:: 1761 in London and Fleet Street

maker:: George Adams

George III's guinea and feather' apparatus

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

King's College, London| Enquiries to Science Museum, London
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Apparatus for guinea and feather experiment. Consisting of a glass cylinder with brass release device, second glass cylinder with brass rim, two mahogany supporting rods with wooden fly nuts and four brass keys, mahogany stand with three legs, made by George Adams, Fleet Street, London, 1761.

This apparatus was made for King George III in 1761 by George Adams, very soon after he ascended the throne in 1760. It was part of Adams' pneumatics lectures and was intended to be used with the air pump.It allowed the demonstrator to explain the effects of a vaccum on falling objects. The apparatus consists of a glass barrel with a brass release device. The air was pumped out of the glass tube so that there was no resistance to a falling object. A feather and a golden guinea coin were then released simultaneously, and seen to fall at the same rate.

Details

Category:: King George III

Object Number:: 1927-1308

Materials:: brass (copper, zinc alloy), glass, mahogany (wood) and wood (unidentified)

type:: demonstration equipment

copyright:: Unlinked Name

credit:: King's College, London

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Parts

Barrel and Device from George III's guinea and feather' apparatus

Barrel and Device from George III's guinea and feather' apparatus

Apparatus for guinea and feather experiment consisting of a glass cylinder with brass release device.

Measurements:: overall: 630 mm x 170 mm diameter, 4.43 kg

Materials:: glass , brass (copper, zinc alloy) , paper (fibre product) and animal remains

Object Number:: 1927-1308 Pt1

type:: demonstration equipment

Image ©: The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Incomplete Glass Cylinder with Brass Rim

Parts of the apparatus for guinea and feather experiment. Consisting of glass barrell with one brass rim that is broken into two pieces - one with the brass rim and the other with a plain glass rim.

Object Number:: 1927-1308 Pt2

type:: demonstration equipment

Glass Cylinder with Brass Rim

Parts of the apparatus for guinea and feather experiment. Glass cylinder with brass rim on one end, jagged edge on other end.

Measurements:: overall: 399 mm 423 mm,

Materials:: glass and brass (copper, zinc alloy)

Object Number:: 1927-1308 Pt2/1

type:: demonstration equipment

Part of:: 1927-1308 Pt2

Bottom Half of Glass Cylinder with Brass Rim

Parts of the apparatus for guinea and feather experiment. Bottom portion of glass cylinder with brass rim, this part is entirely glass with glass rim and jagged edge on other end.

Measurements:: overall: 351 mm 424 mm,

Materials:: glass

Object Number:: 1927-1308 Pt2/2

type:: demonstration equipment

Part of:: 1927-1308 Pt2

Mahogany Support Rods for Guinea and Feather Experiment

Parts of the apparatus for guinea and feather experiment, consisting of two long and thin mahogany supporting rods with wooden fly nuts and four brass keys.

Materials:: mahogany (wood) and brass (copper, zinc alloy)

Object Number:: 1927-1308 Pt3

type:: demonstration equipment

Tripod Stand for Guinea and Feather Experiment

Parts of the apparatus for guinea and feather experiment, consisting of a mahogany stand for release mechanism. This has tripod turned wood legs, and a flat top which has a U shaped slot cut out of it.